To Follow the Mockingjay
by Ginger the Mighty
Summary: Hayden Greenworth, a young girl in District 12, idolizes Katniss Everdeen. From Katniss' bow and arrow skills to just her bravery, Hayden strives to be as strong and brave. To think they use to be just neighbors! But as new dangers arise with the homecoming of The Girl on Fire, Hayden will begin to realize that there are even dangers with being a fan...


**Hi! :) So this is my very first fanfic, so go easy on me! But advice and reviews are welcome and encouraged! **

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES. JUST MY OC.**

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><p><em>Introduction:<em>

_District 12. There was nothing really special about it, if one were to think about it. It's landscape was dull, barely anything beautiful prospered that was attempted to grow, and from a glance it looked like a boring, dull town. Nothing special. Nothing beautiful. Easily forgotten. Not to mention barely anyone talked about them in the Hunger Games, the live slaughter that played for the pleasure of people everywhere, more so in the Capitol. From the horrid outfits they wore to how fast and easily they were killed off, District 12 was looked down upon, less as significant as the other districts._

_It would have remained like that had Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark stepped into the picture._

_The Girl on Fire, after having wanted to sacrificed everything for the boy she loved and won, put District 12 back on the map. The district was now grabbing people's attention, even if it was only to focus on the 'Star-Crossed Lovers". Everyone could now recognize the district, and many people admired Katniss Everdeen._

_But no one admired her more in District 12 than Hayden Greenworth. But wait, why would she be important in this story? No one had ever heard of her, right? Who cared if Katniss has a fan in District 12? There were people everywhere who worshipped her, who would lick the very ground she walked on. Hayden is just one in a million fans of the Girl On Fire, easily ignored because she lives in the lowest district. But one must realize that one idolizes someone who has inspired them. Inspired them to sing, to dance, to fight, a fan is someone who recognizes all the effort someone gives out and they adore them for it. That is what Katniss Everdeen is to Hayden, a fourteen year old looking for something to believe in._

_This story is Hayden being a fan of the Girl on Fire, from the beginning to the end. _

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><p>(Hayden's P.O.V)<p>

The dirt covered path seemed endless as I trudged home from school, exhausted from a long day at school. It was around three o'clock, the dark clouds still there from the morning, and District 12 looked the same. No one was walking around the streets today, but I knew it wouldn't last long. It was only a few hours until _she _returned, bringing glory and fame along with her.

It was the day Katniss Everdeen, victor of the 74th Hunger Games, was coming back along with Peeta Mellark, her lover. It was a day we all were waiting for, and in only a short few hours, she would be here. My idol was coming here.

My name is Hayden Greenworth. I am fourteen years old, and I live, obviously, in District 12. I remember Katniss Everdeen as just being my neighbor, very rarely every staying around her home long. I went to the same school as her sister, Primrose Everdeen, and we are friends. Not close, but we are still friends. I can't say I remember Peeta Mellark, however. I very rarely went to the bakery where he worked, but I remember seeing him sweeping his front steps when walking to and from school, his blond hair slowly turning brown as dirt clouds from the ground rose up towards him.

I wish I could say I knew Katniss Everdeen very well, like as a friend, but I didn't. We've walked past each other on the streets, but that was all. I had respect for her then, but I never knew what she was capable of until the Hunger Games. I don't think _anyone _did, truthfully. So I guess you could say I became a fan of her. From the moment she volunteered for Prim, to the moment where she was about to eat the berries, Katniss inspired me. It was the way she fearlessly fought, showing no concern or nervousness as she hid and fought for her and Peeta's freedom. It was she that inspired me to be strong for my family and home. So to have her coming home, to say that I live a couple feet away from one of Panem's greatest victors, excited me. It had been a while since we ever had a victor from here, and Katniss was the perfect victor.

I wanted to be just like her.

I thought about this all the way home, ignoring the gloomy scenery around me, until I finally arrived home. My house wasn't very big, mostly made of wood and it looked like it could fall at any moment, but my family had made sure it wouldn't crumble in on us. Our porch swing slowly swayed in the dry wind that blew in, making a noise as I walked past it and walked into my screen door, opening it slowly.

"Mom?" I called in, hearing a cough in response. In District 12, not many families were wealthy, and my family was no exception. I lived with my mother, Evangeline Greenworth, who has had this terrible cough for as long as I could remember. My father, Zachary Greenworth, died from an illness when I was born, so I can't really remember him, but people say I look like him. I also have four older brothers who live with my mom and I, frequently helping around the house to make sure my mother wouldn't get more sick. Joshua, the oldest, worked in the mines all day and we never see him a lot. Cepter and Wallus, the two twins, were two years older than me and worked in the mines, but they were always sent home earlier with them still being a little young.

Finally, standing at a year older than me, was Anthony. He works at the same bakery as Peeta Mellark, taking double shifts as Peeta left for the Games. My brothers and I love each other very much, but we didn't show it like a normal family would. Joshua mostly would, with being the father-figure of his siblings, but it wasn't like a wholesome family. We didn't see each other till dinnertime at night, only to be all gone and off in the early morning hours. I missed them a lot, but sometimes I wondered if they even missed me.

I walked into the kitchen to find my mom washing something under the skin, using her rolled-up sleeve to cover up her coughing. Her dark red hair was put up into a nice little bun at the top her head, bobbing up and down as she grabbed different things off the dusty little counter. She looked up at me and offered a smile before coughing again. "Hello, Hay."

I smiled at my nickname, walking over to wrap my arm around my mother. She kissed my forehead as she leaned into my arm. "How was school?" she asked.

"Same as ever, but it kept droning on and on." I groaned, setting my small backpack on a small chair in front of our dining room table. "No matter how much I wanted time to move faster, it wouldn't! It would take its time!"

My mother snorted. "And what were you in such a rush for, my love?"

"Katniss Everdeen is coming back today." I responded, my tone of voice suggesting that she should have known. We all knew the tributes who win come back to their districts two days after the Games have ended. "It should only be a couple hours, now."

"Ah, the Girl On Fire returns home, does she?" my mother softly joked, going into another coughing fit. She cleared her throat afterwards. "I remember helping out that girl's mama after she left for the games." I nodded in reply. My mother had gone over to give them food and help around the house, bringing me along so I could distract Primrose from everything. "Thought for sure that poor woman was gonna try killing herself after Katniss volunteered."

"Well, Prim would have been in it then." I reminded her, watching her as she did her best to clean some vegetables under the sink. "Hey, these look fresh. Where'd you get them?"

My mother shot me a guilty look before continuing to clean, brushing her thumb lightly across a tomato. I sighed, lightly groaning. My mom had bought them from the Hob again. The Hob is an illegal market here in our district, where people basically smuggle food to each other by hunting or other things. "Mom, again? You know you almost got in trouble there last time."

My mother now sighed, turning off the faucet to go sit down at the kitchen table. "Hay, I had to. We were running low on food, and you have gotten so skinny I just couldn't help it."

I glanced down in the kitchen sink, studying the bright colors of food that was placed in there, sitting clean in a little bucket. My mom had gotten two tomatoes, two have pieces of corn on the cob, and blueberries. I had no idea what my mom would make out of that, but I supposed it was better than having something with cabbage or even just heated water again. "Mom, you know how Joshua feels about this. What happens when he comes home from the mines to find this?"

"Do you have a better option?" she snapped, going back into another coughing fit. "Glass of water, please?" I quickly grabbed the cleanest glass we had and filled it with water, carefully guiding it towards my mother. My mother eagerly took it out of my hands, sipping it down as some spilled out the sides of her mouth. She coughed one more time before setting the cup down. "We don't have enough options here, Hayden. Your brothers don't get enough money from the mines and Anthony's job at the bakery could barely afford a single rose at the flower shop. If we even _had _roses here anymore."

"But Mom, if I were to begin hunting-" I brought up casually, beginning an often reoccurring argument between us. I had this want to hunt that was inspired by Katniss, knowing that whatever I caught could be sold at the Hob. My mother was outraged when I brought it up then, so I knew she'd be outraged again.

She glared at me. "Absolutely not. If the Capitol didn't kick your ass if you did that _I _would." She looked out the window. "You could have gotten away from it back in the days, but now it's not too safe."

"Why?"

"Well, no thanks to our tributes, the Capitol has taken interest in us. They won't hesitate to find out any secrets here, and hunting is one of our biggest secrets. So, for the millionth time, my answer is no."

"Mom!" I complained.

"Don't 'Mom' me. We've had this discussion. It's too dangerous, and Lord only knows what would happen if anyone found out. I'd be more worried that Joshua would kill you if the Capitol didn't!"

"Joshua wouldn't know."

"Do you count on that?"

I groaned in frustration, slamming my fist down on the table, shaking it lightly. "We need more food, Mom. Hunting's our best option until some miracle happens."

"Miracles?" my mother laughed. "Baby girl, we live in one of the poorest places. Miracles are just a myth today, Hayden. It's for the better that you stop believing in it."

I rolled my eyes, stomping away towards my room but not before shooting towards my mom. "Then what's Katniss Everdeen, Mom? She ain't a miracle?"

I glanced behind me to look at my mom, who was shaking her head with a clever little smirk on her face as she replied,

"Oh, she's no miracle, baby. Katniss Everdeen is pure luck."

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><p><strong>So that's chapter 1! Hope it wasn't too bad, I'll introduce Katniss and others in the next chapter!<strong>

**please read and review! :) Thanks!**


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